Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-11
THE OPIUM HABIT.
Something About its Prevalence In New
York City.
Brooklyn Times.

Brooklyn Times.
Inc recent highly sensational divorce
case OF Mrs. Grace Brotherton Deems, 8
daughter of wealthy banker, against her
husband. Frank Deems, son of the Rev.
DR.. Deems Of the Church of the Strangers.
has caused the liveliest surprise in sll
grades of society. Both husband and
wife had been reared in pious homes, and
ooJn are well educated, refined end intel
ngent. The letters Of Mrs Deems, which
Were produced in court, revealed g woman
CT remarkably clear mind and of consid
ersOle force OF character. Both, however.
are undoubtedly opium tiends, and il is
TINS discovery that has so preatlv
aStounded nearly everyone.
But there is no reason WIZ il should
Inc records Of the police courts, the
DOCKS OF private physicians snow that the
UFUS hRo!t-the use Of morphine opium
ana even cocalne-has spread very greatly
WITHIN the last few years. The fact that
Us victims are 10 be found mainly among
the rich and educated eyp;siDs WHY IFS
prevalence hiss not been more widely
known. Nearly every druggist or phy-
slclan IN the fashionable quarter can tell
OF many patients VINO are slaves to opium
IAe former Is perhaps the best authority,
Tor the confirmed opium eater writes his
own prescription and knows where he
can buy ell he wants without applying to
doctor.
Two months ago another prominent
case, where both husband and wife were
me victims, attracted public attention. !
Inc heV. Francis Gerry Fairfield, min |
+teT, journalist and physician, man Of |
Soou family and OF remarkable talent,
uleu 10 tenth-rste hotel on Third avenue
10
Josephine GrlsWold Fairfield, daughter
OF Judge Grjswold, once an influential
New Yorker end member of the New
YORK bench, died week previous to her
nusDRDd IN the same manner. Had il
not been for Nj. Fairfeld's brother,
Well to do lawyer, husband and wife
would probably have been buried in pau
per's graves.
Daring the middle of lest month had
occasion to visit the Jefferson Msrket
toAce Court. l arrived there Just as the
presiding magistrate, Justice Murray,I left
MS bench and walked into his private ex-
animation room. l followed him.
IN the room were three persons be-
sides the court officers. Two of these
were women and both were dressed in
pIack and heavily yelled, As the
justice entered both drew
the tw0 was lady about Fifty years OF
age, with remarkably delicate and refined
features, on which rested 8 sad and mel
ancholy expression. She was ,aboring
under great emotion and at times could
barely restrain her tears.
Her companion, who was at least
twenty-five years her junior, resembled
her somewhat in appearance, but there
was en- indefinite something about her
that marred the beauty of her face aud
81 times made II almost repulsiye
The third person was man of middle
age, well built and of 8 serious cast of
COuntensnce. One popularity I could
not help noticing. He could not keep his
gaze fixed upon anything, and moved
shout Unessily in his chair, when he saw
that he Was being observed.
81 see, Mrs. Francesca" observed
Justice Murray, nodding to the elder
lady, "thRt you charge Mrs. Hale, your
daughter, with being addicted to the use
OF morphine and opium, and with being
nabitually intoxicated" 81
yes" replied the lady, while tears 81
rolled down her cheeks. 'I am forced 10 4
take this step to save her from utter de- -
graduation. She and her husband, point -
ing to the man seated beside her, ''haYe az
for years been addicted to the opium hab- 1t
it. He has several times been confined ST
in asylums and discharged a. cured, only tt
TO sink back again into his old habits \,
When they are together they are worse 70
than when they are separate. She is now
in terrible condition, and we desire to d
place her in g private asylum st Amity- 81
vile, where she can be taken care OIL" pc
Up to this time the young woman had hs
remained in apparent lethargy and had B
not betrayed the slightest emotion, while 90
the mother wept IS she spoke of her gf- 49,
fiction. Now, however, as though sud y"
denly realizing her situation, she jumped W
from her chair and shrieked in most re
piercing tones. all
''It's you, you thsr have brought me to nj
this, she cried, pointing to her husband, IN
who shrank aWay cOwed and frightened; ho
''yOu taught me It; you got me into the
habit" she continued, herCely, lH'
It was sad scene and the poor old m
lady wept bitterly The young woman "
had tC be removed by force, and later in lie
the day WAS taken TO & private asylum. ne
Il seems that she had no grounds for BI
accusing her husband of forcing the habit an
upon her. Ths fault lay with her physi- 20
,ian, who had prescribed morphine for arr
leT during long and serious illness. SCI
When she recovered the habit had been OF
0rltd and she wss not strong enough to q
,ssist i. Her husband contracted the W.
sste from her. -
That is frequently the origin. Taken
Der force during sickness, the drug holds
he victim Teien-assly in its power. In
ortunateiy not al physCiansi arc as
careful in prescribing it ss they should